In the wake of dynamic job market needs and demands for 21st-century skilled labour, the Bakhita Partnership for Education has launched a campaign dubbed ‘The 21st Century African Girl’ to address education inequalities in Africa.
The campaign that was launched in Nairobi, Kenya, is lobbying African governments and education stakeholders to prioritise, fund and boost the empowerment of Africa’s youth population with skills relevant and sufficient to thrive in this 21st century while achieving gender equity.
The 21st Century African Girl campaign targets to address the barriers and challenges faced by girls in accessing education in Africa. It also aims to highlight the benefits of empowering girls through education.
“This initiative underscores a commitment to leverage this pivotal year to advance education equity and empower girls and women across the continent. We call for increased funding to the education sector, transformative and gender-responsive education systems, the education of the poor and marginalised and the empowerment of every girl through accessible and inclusive education. No one should be left behind,” Fr. Charles Chilufya, S.J, the Director for the Jesuits Justice and Ecology Network Africa and the Board Chairperson of the Bakhita Partnership for Education, said.
Key in the campaign agenda is advocating for tax exemption for all sanitary products in Africa such as sanitary towels, sanitary tampons, menstrual cups, menstrual pants and menstrual sponges. This will improve girls’ access to school by making these essential items more affordable and accessible.
The 21st Century African Girl campaign also targets to petition all African governments to set aside at least 20% of their annual budget for the education sector.
The initiative seeks to advocate for government intervention in educational opportunities for marginalized communities and areas affected by crises like poverty and wars, particularly in rural and peri-urban regions. The initiative targets to initiate crowdfunding for the Bakhita Partnership for Foundation. The funds will be used to support marginalized children and enhance educational infrastructure in the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and maintaining a healthy and conducive environment for learning.
“The future is female, so we need to unlock the continent’s potential by placing 21st Century Gender Transformative education at the heart of economic development by ensuring that every African learner is equipped for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century,” Mme Simone Yankey-Ouattara, African Union Centre for Girls and Women Education (AU CIEFFA), stated.
The 21st Century African Girl campaign is in line with the decision by the African Union (AU) to adopt education as the AU Theme of the Year 2024, with the rallying theme being “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.
The Bakhita Partnership for Education (BPE), an independently governed partnership of the Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network of Africa (JENA) and the associations of Catholic sisterhoods across Africa, has its sole focus on ensuring that every girl child receives quality basic education, prioritizing the poorest and the most vulnerable.
This is in line with Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs 4 and 5 in ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, by 2030.
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